The Proposal
by buddyBatmanWW
Summary: Bruce narrates how he proposed to Diana


Disclaimer

The characters used in this story are the property of DC comics and Warner bros. I've used them in this story which is entirely a product of my own imagination

**The Proposal**

Clarke's wedding. 

I was to be Lois' 'Best Man' 

I anticipated as much. Not that I don't like to or I don't want to. 

After all, if I didn't reveal his secret to Lois, this day would never have come. 

But I had some other feeling, something which was making me restless. Something I just cannot share with anyone, not even Alfred. It's hard to say, it's hard to live with, it's hard to live without. So, I chose to keep quite.

4 months...I shut myself away from what I call 'my family'. I was in Lex Luhtor's guest house in Metropolis, feverishly working to put Lexcorp back on the top, as I had promised. It was a virtually impossible task, but I had to do it. Alfred said that I was taking it a little too hard on myself, so did many others. Nut for some reasons I cannot disclose, I felt responsible for what has come over Lexcorp and Luthor. When 'Operation Hunt Down Super heroes' was in progress, Luthor made his will, and surprisingly, declared me as his heir. Perhaps it was the amount of trust he laid on me, or it was only a measure to make sure that I stay with him, but whatever it was, it was the most preposterous move. That day, may be he didn't foresee that the Operation would end with 'his' death. And when he crumbled, so did Lexcorp and hundreds of families which relied on it. It was then that Luthor's will was brought forth and amidst the air of indifference from the Luthor's most trusted allies, I became the President of the Lexcorp. 

I had given up being Batman, because Batman was dead for the world, and there was no point in bringing him up again. For the first time in many years, I had a strong urge of leading a normal life I am entitled to live. I wanted to be Bruce Wayne again. The world was in safe hands of the Justice League, Wonder woman was taking care of Gotham... 

_Wonder Woman_...my thoughts froze. Her memories were haunting me more than ever before. The day I announced I was going to hang off my cape and cowl, the day the league walked back dejected from my house, I was expecting her to turn back and look into my eyes and understand my pain. She didn't...  
>Then I realised, I'd lost her forever. She loved the Batman, not the Bruce Wayne. Of course, why would a remarkable woman like she love someone like just 'Bruce Wayne' and nothing else. <p>

I tried to banish her thoughts from my mind, but surprisingly I couldn't. The more I tried to get out of it, the more I got sucked into it, like mire. She had made my life a living hell from that day. 

I just wanted to ask her...and then be done with it forever if she wanted to. She could've given me a chance... 

I took Lois' hand and guided her way into the church. I expected cheers and applause, but was greeted...with a bullet. 

... 

"You thought I was dead, didn't you? Well everyone in the world did..." 

Saying this, he stamped his foot on my diaphragm, just where the bullet hit. I let out a sharp cry in pain. 4 months, I have been physically and psychologically preparing myself to lead a normal life. The training did work, as I could see, I felt the pain more than ever before and I couldn't control it. 

"But you know what they told me in Hades? I couldn't come down there till I killed you. You are my entry pass, you know" grabbed me by my hair. 

"Oh Lexie, you've got a great sense of humor!" - The Joker, yes, they team up again, but this time, against me. 

"You made a fool of me before the world. Thought you could get away with that, Batman?" 

He knows... 

He grabbed me by the collar and hit me against the wall. Clarke was looking helplessly, with his fists clenched. He was in a Kryptonite chamber. It was draining out life from him as Luthor was draining out from me. He managed to capture each of the members of the league and there was no way they could help them, even Diana... 

_Diana...  
><em>

My thoughts froze again. I saw her behind the electric field, pounding her fists against it in vain. My eyes refused to shift off her. Luthor and Joker were breaking my body in everyway possible. But I was no longer concerned. 

_**"There is a limit to a man's patience Luthor, and I've just crossed that"  
><strong>_

He was trembling, his limbs were paralysed with shock..."You...you wouldn't do it. You wouldn't kill. Batman doesn't kill..." 

"You're right Luthor, Batman doesn't kill," I shot backwards and the bullet hit the Joker, who was trying to smash my head with a crowbar, a perfect shot, "but I am not Batman." The bullet left the gun making its way directly into Lex's chest, piercing through his heart. 

I lost my balance and smashed against the wall. Clarke recovered a bit too late to stop it. The controls were broken and the league was free. She was free. I was still looking into her eyes. My eyes wouldn't listen to my pleas to wait, wait till she came close enough for me to see her features clearly, look into her eyes and see if she had anything in them for me, just Bruce Wayne. I heard a cry from Jonn, saying Lex and Joker were not shot with bullets, they were injected a drug which would make them forget what happened here. So, I was not a killer. Of course I was never a killer, Batman on otherwise. Proving that was not my concern. I was just praying God to give me few more seconds. My eyes were blurring. She took me into her arms, but I couldn't feel it. I couldn't hear her cry, I couldn't see her eyes, I couldn't feel her touch... 

It was all over!

****************************************** 

Back on the streets of Gotham as the Caped Crusader, everything felt bright even in the dead of the night, holding her hand. 

" I guess I just cannot stay away from my alter ego after all." 

"So, Batman comes to life again!" 

"Yes!" 

"And Bruce Wayne?" 

"He'll be there too, in some corner, as he always was." 

"No, I won't let the Batman bully my love." 

"Your love? Hah! You call Bruce your love but didn't bother to turn back and look at him." 

"Neither did he." 

"You say it's my fault?" 

"I say it wasn't my fault." 

"I don't believe it... (snap)"

Silence for a while...It started to snow. The night was as beautiful as her eyes.

Her eyes...and I couldn't take mine off them. She became aware of that, and turned away, as if it taunt me. 

"Diana!" 

"Yes Bruce!" smiling behind her lips. 

"Will you marry me?"

****************************************


End file.
